Zarkasan Empire
Zarkasia was an ancient empire which dominated much of the western world. It was founded in the city of Zarket, in which it rapidly grew under the rule of its many emperors. Numerous wars and civil wars, incompetent rulers, and rebellions from local peoples would lead to its downfall, and the destruction of Zarket. Its ultimate demise would be the date of some calendars, with years being noted as After the Fall of Zarket (A.F.Z.) and Before the Fall of Zarket (B.F.Z.). The city was founded in 921 B.F.Z, by local native peoples. It is noted as being one of the first empires of history and one of the most powerful forces in the ancient world. History The city of Zarket was founded around 921 B.F.Z., by local native peoples. In 535 B.F.Z., it invaded its old rivals in the south, who were preoccupied in a war between themselves. The Zarkasans conquered their cities and united Zarkasia. With its newly gained manpower and resources, it turned westward, smashing the smaller armies of the coastal city states. It then looked southwards, to the kingdoms of the Jaris River (OTL Nile). In earliers, Jarisek was united by a powerful kingdom, but dynastic squabbles led to its division. The Zarkasan invasion was swift, and by 430, all of the Fertile Crescent was under the heel of Zarket. In its later years it turned eastwards to Tugkut (OTL Persia), to fuel the conquering ambitions of several emperors. It began its decline by 250 B.F.Z., and the eastern conquests would not help. A rebellion by the Jarissians had sprung, conquering much of Zarkasia's coast, and although they were eventually defeated, it strained the empire's resources. The Zarkasan army was thus heavily expanded in order to control every parcel of land they ruled. However, the army had become too large and too expensive to maintain. It lost western Anatolia to nomads and rebellious tribes, and the tribes of Tugkut also began to rebel against Zarkasia. The empire had simply grown too large; too overextended. While the early years gave Zarkasia its control over its conquered territories through military force, now that the army was shrinking, they began to lose control over most of their territories. Drought ruined harvests for many years, and climate change began to decimate them even further. In 198 B.F.Z., the empire lost Jarisek and just a decade later, most of Tugkut was independent again, the empire unable to enforce its rule over such a vast area. Migrants from the north and rebelling cities ended Zarkasan rule in the west and north. A civil war in the rump state lost the Zarkasans the south. Zarket was quickly depopulated, and eventually sacked and destroyed by unknown invaders. Government In its very early days, Zarket was ruled by several noble families which ruled certain portions of the city. But eventually it was united by a single emperor. For the rest of its existence it was ruled by a despotic monarchy, which answered only to the gods themselves. Demographics The Zarkasan Empire was a large state, and included numerous cultural groups. At its peak, the empire likely ruled over around four to five million people. Many conquered tribes were either enslaved, destroyed, or forcefully conscripted into the military. Military The Zarkasan military was the largest and strongest military in the world at that time, composed of thousands of soldiers, most of them conscripted, and with an elite voluntary force at the top, well trained and well educated in the art of war. Known as the Dugashid, or "Ancients", they rode great war-chariots into battle. The Dugashid believed they were the reincarnations of great ancestral warriors. In most places, military garrisons were usually of another cultural group foreign to the place they were stationed, and usually did not speak the language of the land they were in. The military overall was well organized, but most soldiers were not trained as well as they could've been. However, the empire lacked in naval power, and only held a minuscule flotilla in the west, and none in the Gulf.